Draft:Edward Buckbee

Edward "Ed" O. Buckbee is an American leader in the space industry. He was a NASA Public Affairs Officer and the first Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center (USSRC). He is most well known for his advancements in these roles, including the development the first Space Camp, and has also contributed to various forms of media independently. He continues to write, advise, consult, lecture, and advocate for space exploration from Huntsville, Alabama.

Career
Buckbee graduated with a BS in Journalism from West Virginia University's Reed College of Media in 1958.

He joined the Army in 1959 until leaving to work as a NASA Public Affairs Officer in the early 1960s. During this time, he worked on projects and with astronauts from the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs. He continued on this trajectory until approached by Wernher von Braun to serve as the first Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in 1970. During his time with the center, he established the first Space Camp in 1982 after being inspired by a conversation with von Braun on museum premises. Buckbee retired from the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in 1994, although he continues to serve on their board of directors to this day.

Throughout the years, Buckbee has also contributed to film media both as himself and as an advisor. His film contributions are listed below:
 * The Mike Douglas Show (1975, 1977, 1979) - Self
 * SpaceCamp (1986) - Technical Advisor
 * Late Night with David Letterman (1986) - Self
 * The Mighty Saturns Part I: The Early Saturns (2003) - Self
 * The Mighty Saturns Part II: The Saturn V (2004) - Self
 * Chasing the Moon (2019) - Self

Buckbee has also contributed to the following publications:
 * The Real Space Cowboys (2005)
 * Rockets and Spacecraft - 50 Years of: NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (2009)
 * The Greatest Space Generation As Inspired by Wernher von Braun (2016)

Awards
In 1978, Buckbee was awarded the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal for his contributions to the industry.

In 2007, Buckbee was added to the Space Camp Hall of Fame.